Art of mixing feeds with molasses



May 18, 1943 T. w. BLACK ART OF MIXING FEEDS WITH MOLASSES Filed Aug.26. 1939 \k AR Zhwmtor THEIZON W. BLACK attorneys Patented May 18, 1943ART OF MIXING FEEDS WITH MOLASSES Theron W. Black, Columbus, Wis.,assignor to Benjamin H. Gard, Fairwater, Wis.

Application August 26, 1939, Serial No. 292,111

' 6 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in the art of mixing feeds withmolasses. This application is a continuation in part of my applicationSerial No. 175,751 filed November 22, 1937.

It is the primary object of the invention to provide means for treatingcomminuted particles of preferably dry feed with molasses in a mannerwhich will not require mechanical mixing, and will enable very largepercentages of molasses to be introduced into the feed without renderingthe feed sticky. With my improved process and the apparatu disclosed inthe companion application of Benjamin H. Card, Serial. No. 175,765, itis possible to treat even a feed of flour-like fineness with 40% of itsown weight of molasses and still leave the material entirely uncaked andin powdered form such that it may be handled or worked the same aftertreatment as before.

It is more specifically an object of the invention to incorporate themolasses in the feed in a new form in order to avoid making the feedsticky. By the degree to which the molasses is preliminarily heated, andby the fineness to which it is atomized, I seek to effect a separationof the moisture from the molasses during its transit in mid-air so thatthe molasses will reach the' product in a virtually dry condition inminute globules which are substantially invisible and which have justsuificient surface adhesion to attach themselves to the fine particlesof feed which they may contact but which are so nearly completely dry ontheir surfaces, at least, as to become non-adhesive immediately uponcontact with any foreign substance.

My objectives will appear more specifically from the followingdisclosure of the invention.

In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a view in cross section through appoint of the'particularmolasses used, its viscosparatus which may be used for the practice ofthe invention.

Figure 2 is a detail view on a transverse cross section indicated by theline 2-2 in Fig. 1.

Figure 3 is a view partially in side elevation and partially in crosssection showing a modified apparatus for the practice of the invention.

Figure 4 is a detail view in cross section showing a further modifiedembodiment of apparatus suitable for the practice of my method.

Like parts are identified by the same reference characters throughoutthe several views.

In the practice of my improved process a great deal depends uponcomplete atomization of the molasses prior to its delivery to the feedor other material which is to receive treatment. I prefer that the sprayof molasses shall be so finely ity characteristics can be radicallyaltered to the point that the molasses may be sprayed with the requiredfine degree of atomization.- These temperatures will almost invariablybe above degrees F. and below 230 degrees F., the latter being thecommonly understood caramelization point of normally hydrated molasses.With the molasses with which I am familiar, however, caramelizationapparently occurs at about 150 degrees F. and therefore I prefer tooperate at approximately degrees F.

I have found, moreover, that by heating the molasses to the preferredtemperature of approximately 140 degrees F., (or approximately 10degrees below the point of caramelization of the molasses used), it ispossible to produce changes which involve separation from the molassesof at least a portion of its Water content during the spraying thereof.Assuming that the molasses thus preliminarily heated is atomized sofinely as to be practically invisible, it appears to give up most of itsmoisture content inmid-air so that the resulting spray consists ofminute globules of molasses and a separate mist or vapor of water. If aglass plate is held briefly in the path of this spray the water vaporwill condense on the plate in globules which are separate and distinctfrom the fine particles of molasses.

When such a spray encounters the finely ground feed. with which themolasses is to be incorporated, the separate water content of the sprayapparently is absorbed immediately by the feed, being already separatedfrom the molasses. The fine globules of molasses are substantially dry,retaining just sufficient surface adhesion to attach themselves to theground feed, where they harden immediately, at least on their surfaces,so that no further grinding or mixing is necessary or can affect theresult so far as the attachment of the particular globule of .molassesto the particular particle of feed is concerned. v p

The dispersion of the microscopic particles of molasses among theparticles of ground feed is so complete that there is no evidence ofdampness. The feed is completely dry to the touch and when a handful offreshly treated feed is squeezed tightly and then released it will fallapart like dry sand, without balling or .caking. This is true eventhough as much as 40% of the molasses by weight is added to the feed.

The fact that possibly it is only the surface of the microscopic globuleof molasses that is dry, is suggested by the change in color which canbe produced by a vigorous rubbing of the treated feed. The usualtreatmentof the feed produces no change in color whatever. The feed.looks and feels and acts exactly the same after treatment as before.However, if a quantity of the treated feed is rubbed vigorously, it willdarken in color, suggesting that the microscopic globules of molassesadherent to particles of the feed have been broken open. I know of noprior art process for introducing molasses into feed in which it ispossible to incorporate so large a proportion of molasses without themolasses being apparent in the treated feed.

The apparatus which subsequently handles the treated meal or flour orcomminuted feed does not become sticky with molasses, and the feeditself feels substantially the same to the touch as the untreated feedand will neither become sticky nor will ball up in. use.

In Fig. 1 I-have shown apparatus suitable for the practice of theimproved process. This apparatus includes two parts consisting of themolasses handling mechanism and the feed handling mechanism.

The molasses handling mechanism includes a molasses tank 5 provided withinsulation at 6. At itsbottom is the water tank I containing animmersion type electric heater 8, as a convenient means of heating thewater. transfer of heat from the water to the molasses I may. employ thecoils 9. A conventional thermostat (not shown) may be used to controlthe heating element 8 to keep the water (and thus the molasses) at therequired temperature. The most convenient temperature is a temperatureapproximating 140 degrees F., this being close to the upper limit ofapproximately 150 degrees to which the molasses with which I am familiarmay be heated withoutcaramelizing.

A force pump driven by motor II and capable of delivering molasses undera pressure of approximately 100 pounds through pipe I2 is connected toreceive molasses through its intake pipe l5. A relief pipe l6 returns tothe molasses container 5 and is connected to the pump pressure pipe |2by means of a manually operable valve l1 and an automatic relief valveIll. The

details of these valves are not shown because they are conventional. Therelief valve I8 will be set to by-pass the molasses at a pressureslightly. in excess of that required for spraying.

- This last mentioned pressure will depend to a To facilitate thepromptly result in the opening of the automatic check valve I8for'by-passing the continued flow of molasses back to the tank.

In the apparatus shown in Fig. 1 for the han dling of the feed or othermaterial to be treated.

the material is introduced into a hopper at 24- to be passed through atrough 25 to the discharge spout at 26. The trough is open at its top tofacilitate the escape of water vapor from the 10 heated molasses. Thefeed is propelled through vided feed into the air directly in the pathof the mist-like spray issuing from nozzle 20 so that the molasses willstrike the particles of feed substantially in free air to dry thereonbefore the feed is returned to the trough.

In the preferred practice of the invention the spray of molasses isinvisible and the effect of the coating on the feed is not only'invisible but imperceptible to the touch, so that the feed issuin fromspout 26 appears identical with that delivered to the hopper 24. Yet acomparison of the weight of the incoming feed with that issuing from thespout 26 will demonstrate that it is approximately forty percentheavier, assuming that the valve 2| is adjusted and nozzle 20 hascapacity for delivery of this quantity.

Fig. 3 shows a modified embodiment of the treating portion of theapparatus. In this device the hopper 240 delivers the food or othermaterial to be treated into the eye of a centrifugal blower 250 whichreplaces the trough 25. The discharge pipe 260 of the blower is directedvertically upward so that the feed issues therefrom like a fountain indirect opposition to the spray ofmolasses delivered through the nozzle20 from pipe 22. It will, of course, be understood that in Fig.- 3 themolasses spray has been rendered visible solely for the purposes of thedrawing. In

preferred practice it is actually invisible The admixture of molassesand feed in the Fig. 3 device takes place in the upper end of a chute 30which leads to a storage bin 3|. The top of the chute is closed by adome-like cover at 32 to prevent the escape of the feed, but the upperside of the chute is 'open at 33 to facilitate free circulation'of airso that water vapor given of! by the molasses can readily escape fromthe apparatus.

In Fig. 4 thetreatment is effected in a pipe 252 through which the feedor other material to be treated is falling in free air. In falling itpasses the deflector 35 within which the nozzle 2|! is disposed. Thusthe discharge from the nozzle is delivered to the free falling particlesof feed while such particles are in free air. As in Fig. 3,

the spray from the nozzle has been rendered visible, although inpractice it is not so In the Fig. 4 construction the particles of feedand the particles of molasses are moving in the same direction, whereasin the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the particles are movingin opposite directions at the time of encounter.

While the particular type of nozzle used at 20 may greatly affect theresult, no specific nozzle form has been illustrated in detail forthe'reason that there are available on the market numerous nozzles whichwill produce a sufficiently finely atomized spray of molasses providedthe molasses is first heated and then delivered under adequate pressureto the nozzle.

It is an important element of my process that the material to be treatedis subdivided to the required degree of fineness before the molasses isdelivered thereto. While this is not essential it is very much preferredand 'gives more satisfactory results. The molasses is preferably heatedto approximately 140 degrees, or to some other temperature high in therange which has been found to be successfully usable and which includestemperatures from 100 degrees to 150 degrees F. for the molasses I haveused. For molasses having a differing point of caramelization thetemperatures used should preferably be such asto avoid thecaramelization point but, preferably, to' remain within approximately 10degrees thereof. At temperatures between 140 degrees and 150 degreesthere is some danger of caramelization of the molasses, which should notoccur before treatment Yet the molasses should be maintained as hot asis conveniently possible without change of structure.

As already noted, the hot'molasses isatomized through a spray ofsufficient fineness so that it is virtually invisible and the finelyatomized molasses is delivered in free air to the finely subdivided andpreferably flour-like feed or other material to be treated.

The resulting product is different in kind from any form of molassestreated feed with which I have heretofore been familiar. It may containas much as forty percent by weight of molasses and yet it will look andhandle like untreated material, and neither is nor will become sticky.It is my theory that the molasses is sufiiciently close tocaramelization when delivered from the nozzle so that the water vaporescaping from the atoms of molasses following the atomization thereofwill result in a definite change in form of the molasses upon itsencounter with the surface of the finely divided feed.

I claim:

l. The process of molasses treatment which includes the heating of themolasses to a point close to the point of caramelization, spraying theheated molasses in a form so finely atomized as to be substantiallyinvisible, and delivering the atomized molasses spray in a substantiallydry mist of molasses to the material to be treated.

heated molasses in a form so finely atomized as to be substantiallyinvisible, whereby to effect a separation of the sugar content of themolasses from its water content, the grinding of the material to betreated and the delivery of the spray to the surface of the material tobe treated with the sugar content of the molasses in the form ofsubstantially dry particles becoming substantially non-adherent uponcontact with the material treated.

3. A method of making a stock feed which consists in heating molasses ata temperature in excess of degrees F. but below the point ofcaramelization, spraying the molasses while so heated in a formsufiiciently finely atomized to be substantially invisible, and passingthrough the fi-nely atomized spray of molasses in free space a finelydivided food material to be coated by the molasses, and thusincorporating molasses in such food material in proportion of the orderof 40% by weight of molasses, the resulting product being, non-adhesive,substantially homogeneous, and dry.

4. A comminuted feed-molasses product comprising a finely divided feedhaving a substantially dry and substantially entirely superficial andnon-adhesive molasses coating on the individual particles of said feed.

5. A comminuted feed molasses product comprising a finely divided feedhaving a substantially dry and substantially entirely superficial andnon-adhesive molasses coating on the individual particles of said feed,said coating approximating the order of 40% of the weight of the feed,the coated feed being immediately dry to the touch and non-packing whencompressed, and the molasses being substantially wholly unapparent tosight or touch.

6. A method of making a stock feed which consists in heating molasses ata temperature of the order of 10 degrees below the caramelization pointof the molasses, spraying the molasses while so heated in a formsufliciently finely atomized to be substantially invisible, passing afinely groimd feed material through the finely atomized spray ofmolasses, coating the individual particles of feed materialsuperficially with the atomized molasses spray in proportionsapproximating 40% by weight of molasses, the resulting product beingnon-adhesive, substantially homogeneous, and dry, and the molasses beingsubstantially invisible upon inspection of the product 2. The method oftreatment with molasses which includes the heating of the molassesalmost the point of caramelization, spraying the and substantiallyimperceptible to the touch, the resulting product bein non-caking.

' 'I'HERON W. BLACK.

